Here’s the story of one young couple’s transition to Cleveland from France as told by Marie-Laure le Levreur, who relocated along with her husband Arthur for his job at Tarkett, a French flooring manufacturer with North American headquarters in Solon, an eastern suburb of Cleveland.
“As French people, we were very excited about living in the USA. Having an expatriation experience right after our wedding was one of our goals, so we were fine with coming to Cleveland, but our friends and families perceptions were quite different: “What, Cleveland?” or “Ohio, are you sure?” Only sports fans were excited for us because of LeBron James! And to be very honest, we began asking ourselves the same question. Had we made the right choice about the city we were moving to?
But, now that we have been here a few months, we are sure we have made the right decision about moving to Cleveland. The winter has been nice (we know we were very lucky this year); and as soon as we started to discover the city’s assets, we realized there was so much to do and see! We have been very surprised by the high level of culture as we did not expect that at all! Museums, the orchestra for live concerts, etc.
Our way of life definitely improved with this move. We were able to rent a beautiful house with a yard. And since we enjoy hiking, we were pleased to see all the places where we could do that. And, people have been very kind and helpful to us.
Executive Arrangements has been great to work with. They arranged a tour after we arrived in town to help us discover the city. Then I was introduced to some other women, American and French, who have been very nice, and we have explored the museums and done lunch together. Each time I ask Executive Arrangements for help or advice, they are great. For example, when I was looking for a house to rent, they shared a few that they knew about and gave us great tips on restaurants, sporting events and other festivals. And, knowing I was looking for volunteer projects until my documentation is completed so that I can work in the US, they connected me to executives at companies that manage senior living facilities (what I did in France) as well as schools (where I could be a French tutor).
Cleveland is a very easy going city to live in. There are never traffic jams, there is always something to see and to do. And for people who like having a little space and who enjoy nature, this is a very good place. And I really appreciate the Cleveland Museum of Art, which is beautiful and easy to navigate.”
To learn more about how Executive Arrangements can help your organization with the relocation of employees coming from another country to Cleveland or Akron/Canton, please call us at 216.231.9311. EA educates, acclimates & connects newcomers.
